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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · kick · deal · kid · cabinet · ruler

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. kid — to tease
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. deal — to handle
  11. kick — in football
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kid — child
  18. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com